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The Department of Urban Development provides community-planning activities that extend beyond the boundaries of the City of Hattiesburg. These include transportation planning and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) management. This diverse group of activities recognizes the impact the city of Hattiesburg has on the region and the region has on the urban core of Hattiesburg.
The MPO Division’s primary activities are transportation oriented. It provides the staff for the Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar Metropolitan Planning Organization (HPFL-MPO). The MPO is responsible for integrated planning of transportation systems in the cities of Hattiesburg and Petal, and parts of Lamar County and Forrest County, Mississippi. Using federal regulations and guidance, short and long-term transportation plans that meet community objectives are developed and implemented. A multi-modal planning approach is used to assure a vibrant and growing system of roads, rail lines, transit systems, and airports.
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are regional transportation planning agencies, which provide a forum for cooperative decision-making concerning area-wide transportation issues. The MPO was created by Federal and State law to develop transportation plans and programs which encourage and promote the implementation of transportation systems which embrace the various modes of transportation in a manner that will maximize the mobility of people and goods.
The Federal legislation focuses on planning for urban areas, rather than individual cities. Every urbanized area with a population of more than 50,000 persons must have a designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for transportation to qualify for federal highway or transit assistance. All transportation projects should be supported and coordinated with the MPO’s long range plans to be eligible for Federal funds.
Mississippi Governor William Winter established the Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar Metropolitan Planning Organization in August 1982. The HPFL-MPO was established when the Hattiesburg central area reached a population status of 50,000 plus. The HPFL-MPO area consists of the City of Hattiesburg, the City of Petal, a portion of Forrest County and a portion of Lamar County.
The smallest of MPO’s in the State of Mississippi, representatives from the City of Hattiesburg, City of Petal, Forrest County and Lamar County, the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration are involved in the transportation planning process for the MPO. Their purpose is to provide effective leadership in the development of transportation plans and programs.
The Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar MPO Policy Committee is the primary committee responsible for developing policies and procedures to guide transportation planning process for the Hattiesburg Urbanized Area (HUZA).
The board consists of the Mayors of the City of Hattiesburg and Petal, Presidents of the Forrest County and Lamar County Board of Supervisor s, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Executive Director of the MPO and the Federal Highway Administration (non-voting member).
The MPO Staff and the Technical Committee assist HPFL-MPO Policy Committee with planning and recommendations. The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) supports the planning efforts of the HPFL-MPO, which is vital because of the diverse array of projects that can be funded in the HUZA.
The Hattiesburg Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2030 (MTP 2030) is to provide the HPFL-MPO with both an updated long range regional plan consistent with the requirements of the Federal Highway Act of 1962 as amended and to provide the HPFL_MPO with a PC based modeling platform which would enable the agency to update the plan as new development occurs in the period following its adoption. The forecast years for the Hattiesburg Plan are 2010, 2020 and 2030. You may download the document or request a copy in mail from the MPO office.
Hattiesburg MTP 2030 Final Report
The HPFL-MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a short-term list of federally funded transportation projects to be carried out over a three year period (currently 2008 - 2011) and includes a financial plan. Projects included in the TIP must be consistent with the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan (MTP 2030).
The TIP serves as a strategic management tool that accomplishes the objectives of the MTP 2030. In addition, the TIP must be financially constrained by year and include only those projects for which funding has been identified using current or reasonably available revenue sources. The financial plan is developed by the MPO in cooperation with the State and transit operators. The TIP must be approved by the MPO Policy Committee, the Governor, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). It then becomes part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
The HPFL-MPO encourages public participation in an effort to provide an opportunity for people to directly engage in the transportation decision-making process and influence transportation choices in the region. This process promotes diverse input in the transportation planning process as well give the public a sense of ownership of developed transportation solutions.
All HPFL-MPO Policy Committee meetings are scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each quarter. All HPFL-MPO Technical Committee meetings are scheduled for the 2nd Wednesday of the month. All meetings are held at the Hattiesburg Intermodal Facility 308 Newman Street, Hattiesburg, Mississippi at 10:00 a.m.
Public participating in the transportation process is encouraged. All meetings of the Policy and Technical committee meetings are open to the public. Members of the public may request time on the agenda of the HPFL-MPO committees to comment on specific subjects of interest to the representatives. A minimum of two weeks advance notice should be given for requested agenda time.
Meeting Date, Time, and Purpose
*MEETING DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH PROPER NOTIFICATION
Please send all requests, questions, or comments via e-mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 601-545-6259.
MAILING ADDRESS
City of Hattiesburg
Department of State & Federal Programs
P.O. Box 1898
Hattiesburg, MS 39403-1898
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
Hattiesburg Intermodal Facility
308 Newman Street
Hattiesburg, MS 39401
MPO/GIS Staff
Franklyn L. Tate - Executive Director
601-545-1006
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Christine L. Brown - MPO Division Manager
601-545-6259
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KaTonya McLaughlin - Office Manager, MPO/GIS Division
601-545-6325
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Christopher Carr - GIS Specialist
601-545-6220
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Paul Entrekin - GIS Technician
601-545-6221
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